Navigating and Supporting Queer Identity in STEM Space

• In Event: 21.019 - Queer Disruptions With/in Mathematical Identity: Postintersectionality and Mathematics Education

Abstract

Objectives or purposes. This session explores the rich narrative descriptions documenting the experiences of four queer students in STEM, which showcase both the challenges and power of being queer in STEM. There is emerging evidence suggesting that marginalization due to sexuality might be felt more acutely within STEM-related courses, impacting queer students STEM course taking patterns (Bilimoria & Stewart, 2009; Cooper & Brownell, 2016).
Perspective. This study aims to illuminate the experiences of students in undergraduate mathematics contexts by employing a sociopolitical analysis (Gutiérrez, 2010). Sociopolitical theory extends sociocultural theories of learning, which focus on the ways that activity in learning environments are socially and culturally organized, by foregrounding issues of power and marginalization.
Methods. Students in this study were recruited from LGBTQ-friendly universities (Pride Index, 2017) that have active oSTEM student organizations. oSTEM is a national society dedicated to educating and fostering leadership for LGBTQA communities in the STEM fields. Four students, Amber, Charles, Jenny and Juan agreed to participate in the study. Each student participated in a semi-structured interview (Ginsburg, 1997) to target information about: their experiences as a queer student in STEM, how they perceive the nature of STEM, favorite courses and instructors, description of the “coming out” processes, advice for other students, and the completion of two mathematical tasks. Drawing on the methods of grounded theory and narrative analysis (Strauss & Corbin, 1994) this study examines the discourses of being queer in STEM.
Data sources. The four students interviews, of roughly 60 minutes, were audio recorded and transcribed using the qualitative software MAXQDA 2018.
Results. Students in the study viewed the nature of STEM through a paradoxical lens of a discipline that is objective and thus neutral to issues of identity, yet hostile and exclusionary to non-normative identities in STEM spaces. For example Amber described STEM as, “precise and it needing to be very boxed” and “never changing,” yet there, “is not a whole lot of wiggle room for there to be queer issues.” This appeared to be at odds with Amber’s identity as being queer and gender fluid. In response to this exclusion, queer students in undergraduate math courses described the difficulties in navigating the amount of personal information they reveal about themselves or be faced with the cognitive stress derived from presenting in non-normative ways. For instance, Charles said that because being queer was one of the only minorities you could guard its disclosure, you ended up with this, “burden of information control.” Despite some of these challenges, each of the student displayed a remarkable sense of resilience to pursue a STEM degree with many of them stating that even though they have experienced challenges they are successful despite those pressures.
Significance. The study presented here captures how the students viewed the nature of STEM through a paradoxical lens of both objectivity and neutrality, the different approaches to coming out in STEM, and how each showed a sense of resilience and persistence in the face of adversity.

Author

• Matthew K Voigt, San Diego State University